South Australian Regional Fast Rail

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Goodsy · #1 Post by **Goodsy** » Fri Jan 01, 2016 10:00 pm

This is just a quick mock-up of something that probably won't ever exist.

It represents nearly 700km of fast rail, which if the French TGV is anything to go on would cost about $15m per km (capable of 320kph). Speeds as high as some of the fastest HSR in the world probably aren't needed just yet in South Australia, the rail system I've drawn up would match Americas higher speed rail services which are around 200kph. At those speeds travel times between Port Pirie and Adelaide would be around an hour.

If the state government decided to reinstate regional passenger trains where would you guys like to see stations?

OlympusAnt · #2 Post by **OlympusAnt** » Fri Jan 01, 2016 10:48 pm

Unfortunately there is no money.

If they can't upgrade Torrens Park or take over 20 years to demolish a closed station, regional rail has no chance. Plus there would be no patronage to justify it.

#3 Post by **Norman** » Fri Jan 01, 2016 11:44 pm

If there was a blank cheque, trains to Victor Harbor, Port Augusta, Wallaroo and Renmark would be the only towns a regional fast train would be worth going to, with a national line to Melbourne via Murray Bridge.

Victor Harbor trains could continue from Aldinga, with stops at Willunga and Mount Compass. There could be a further extension to Goolwa, but backtracking to Hahndorf is pointless.

The Port Augusta train would stop at Virginia, meeting a new AdMet train route branching off at Salisbury. It would then stop at Port Wakefield, Snowtown, a new station away from the town centre of Port Pirie and terminating at Port Augusta. An extension to Whyalla could be possible depending on a feasibility study.

The Wallaroo Line could branch off at Port Wakefield and obviously stop at Kadina before heading to Wallaroo.

Finally, a Renmark-bound train would stop at Gawler, Nuriootpa, Blanchetown, Waikerie, Barmera, Berri until reaching Renmark.

Ho Really · #4 Post by **Ho Really** » Mon Jan 11, 2016 4:42 pm

The whole point of these fast trains is to keep these towns alive and to bring new blood. I would certainly visit them on day trips and many more tourists would too. The costs is the killer unfortunately.

Cheers

#5 Post by **Will** » Tue Jan 12, 2016 4:11 pm

Ho Really wrote:The whole point of these fast trains is to keep these towns alive and to bring new blood. I would certainly visit them on day trips and many more tourists would too. The costs is the killer unfortunately.

Cheers

There's nothing stopping you visiting these towns today in your car.

Goodsy · #6 Post by **Goodsy** » Tue Jan 12, 2016 4:40 pm

After the iron ore announcement today the Jamestown line could extend to Peterborough

claybro · #7 Post by **claybro** » Tue Jan 12, 2016 5:36 pm

super fast high speed trains aside, with the amount of fans who travel from the country to football in Adelaide every winter weekend, would surely warrant some sort of service even if only from Whyalla/Port Augusta/Pirrie. A daily service would take many busses off the road and allow those towns to grow again. There is something permanent about rail in the minds of country town residents that buses just cant match.

Ho Really · #8 Post by **Ho Really** » Mon Feb 08, 2016 8:38 pm

Will wrote:
Ho Really wrote:The whole point of these fast trains is to keep these towns alive and to bring new blood. I would certainly visit them on day trips and many more tourists would too. The costs is the killer unfortunately.

Cheers
There's nothing stopping you visiting these towns today in your car.

I don't have a car anymore. That's why I made that statement and to be honest with you even if I had my car I still would rather take a train, relax and enjoy the trip.

Let's look at this realistically. In the short term road is the only solution. In the long term it could be different. I think most of us here would like that.

Cheers

Aidan · #9 Post by **Aidan** » Thu Mar 02, 2017 2:37 am

Ho Really wrote:
I don't have a car anymore. That's why I made that statement and to be honest with you even if I had my car I still would rather take a train, relax and enjoy the trip.

You may be interested in the tour the South Australian Public Transit association has planned for Saturday 8th April. We will be looking at the old railways and towns of the Clare Valley. We'll also visit the miniature railway there.

The cost is $25 including a souvenir booklet. If you're interested, please email [email protected] ASAP.

Let's look at this realistically. In the short term road is the only solution. In the long term it could be different. I think most of us here would like that.

Cheers

There is one state with great potential for high speed rail to its country regions.
Unfortunately that state is Victoria.

However if a Melbourne to Adelaide line tunnels through the Adelaide Hills, it probably wouldn't only be Melbourne trains that use it.

ml69 · #10 Post by **ml69** » Fri Mar 03, 2017 10:37 pm

Aidan wrote:There is one state with great potential for high speed rail to its country regions.
Unfortunately that state is Victoria.

You are also forgetting about NSW and QLD.

A high speed train from Sydney to Newcastle, Sydney to Wollongong and Sydney to Canberra would bring a further 1.5 million people within commuting distance of Sydney.

A high speed train from Brisbane to Gold Coast, Brisbane to Sunshine Coast and Brisbane to Toowoomba would bring around 1 million people within commuting distance of Brisbane (already tens of thousands of people live on the Gold Coast for the lifestyle but commute to Brisbane for work).

rev · #11 Post by **rev** » Wed Mar 08, 2017 1:56 am

Aidan wrote:
Ho Really wrote:
I don't have a car anymore. That's why I made that statement and to be honest with you even if I had my car I still would rather take a train, relax and enjoy the trip.
You may be interested in the tour the South Australian Public Transit association has planned for Saturday 8th April. We will be looking at the old railways and towns of the Clare Valley. We'll also visit the miniature railway there.

The cost is $25 including a souvenir booklet. If you're interested, please email [email protected] ASAP.

Don't do it HoReally, it's a trap

Aidan · #12 Post by **Aidan** » Wed Mar 08, 2017 10:38 pm

ml69, I'm not forgetting about NSW and QLD. But high speed rail through the suburbs is likely to be expensive, with lots of tunnelling required. Toowoomba and Wollongong don't have the population for high speed rail any time soon.

Canberra, Newcastle and the Gold Coast would be stops on an interstate line. Eventually it could be extended to the Sunshine Coast and beyond, but Victoria is more densely populated than Queensland. eventually Queensland's coastal regions will be sufficiently populated for hgh speed rail, but the enormous distances involved mean Adelaide's more likely to get high speed rail before then.

Adelaide, and indeed Bendigo (eventually extendable to NW Victoria) could branch off the Melbourne to Sydney line at Melbourne Airport, avoiding the expense of new lines through Melbourne's suburbs. The Gippsland branch wouldn't have that advantage, but the inevitable closure of the coal industry may make that route more politically important.

Aidan · #13 Post by **Aidan** » Wed Mar 08, 2017 10:52 pm

rev wrote:
Aidan wrote:
Ho Really wrote:
I don't have a car anymore. That's why I made that statement and to be honest with you even if I had my car I still would rather take a train, relax and enjoy the trip.
You may be interested in the tour the South Australian Public Transit association has planned for Saturday 8th April. We will be looking at the old railways and towns of the Clare Valley. We'll also visit the miniature railway there.

The cost is $25 including a souvenir booklet. If you're interested, please email [email protected] ASAP.
Don't do it HoReally, it's a trap

No traps, rev. It's now past the official closing date, but try emailing anyway - they'll probably still be able to include you.